Lawsuit Urges Halt to Clatskanie Oil Terminal’s Violation of Clean Air Act

The Northwest Environmental Defense Center, along with co-plaintiffs Center for Biological Diversity and Neighbors for Clean Air, filed a federal lawsuit today to require the crude oil transloading terminal in Clatskanie, Ore., to comply with the Clean Air Act.

The former ethanol production facility located at Port Westward along the Columbia River has been quietly transformed into a terminal for the transport of millions of gallons of highly explosive Bakken crude oil. Check out the press release.

Coverage of the lawsuit:

• Oregonian
• Earthfix
• EnergyWire

Related coverage:

• EnergyWire on Global’s latest projects

The lawsuit charges Cascade Kelly Holdings and its owner, Global Partners LP, with trying to skirt Clean Air Act protections and avoid strict federal permit requirements while converting a bankrupt ethanol facility, constructed with tax dollars, into a high-volume Columbia River shipping terminal for extremely volatile crude oil. 

The lawsuit follows comments submitted in May of 2014 to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality urging the state permitting agency to take a closer look at the projected emissions at the facility. Plaintiffs are represented in this matter by Earthjustice.

View of the Clatskanie oil terminal from neighboring farm property.